A week back home in Switzerland

Every year we religiously drive back to Switzerland for a week's skiing. This year the Gods were smiling down on us and we arrived to catch the first rays of sun after several snowy days. In other words: perfect skiing conditions!

The saying "Feeling on top of the World" takes on a whole new meaning when you get to spend a glorious week of skiing with your childhood friends and everybody's family gets to join the fun!

Where to start?

Skiing, eating or suntanning?

A feeling of Swiss nostalgia

Weather forecast a week before we left

The view on our first day of skiing

My skis might be vintage but they still get me up and down the mountain just fine

 A close encounter

 Chässchnitte uf de Alphütte

Teatime treat after skiing: Vermicelle at Charly's

Adelboden, a new discovery!

Anybody home?

The snow is melting rapidly after 6 days of sunshine

We could always try sledging down the mountain?

I am born to suntan!

I am intrigued!

 The village of Rougemont 

When teenagers are left without WIFI!!!

Santa skiing on the Swiss slopes

Who said Swiss don't have a sense of humour? Just look at how much fun 1200 Santas can have on the slopes of Verbier.

Skiers in appropriate costume were invited to ski for free in the Swiss ski resort for one day only as part of a special event to celebrate Verbier's official opening weekend.

Held for the third year in a row, it proved more popular than ever this year as around 1,200 Santas arrived to claim their free day's ski pass – double the number at last year's event.

Free wine, croissants and raclette were offered throughout the day, as well as the chance to win a season pass in a prize draw. Now, all we need is a bit of fresh snow for the holidays!

Lost in reverie

Back in Paris, sitting at my desk, I am prone to serious homesickness after a smashing week's skiing in Switzerland. It happens every year. It takes me a few days to return to the city rhythm leaving behind the stunning views, beautiful sunshine, crisp fresh air, peaceful silence and pleasant local welcoming pace of the Swiss mountains. We will be back next year...

A glorious day to start off our holiday

Swiss energy ski break on the top of the mountain

You know you're in Switzerland when you come across one of these lamps on top of a mountain 

Returning to the bottom of the valley at the end of a fabulous day of skiing

This is how the village got its name... the red mountain

L'église du village

Typical chalet from the "Pays d'Enhaut"

What's left of our snowman

Time for a real Swiss treat: hot chocolate with whipped cream

Local window ornaments

How cool is this window display?

Seriously tempting... can you smell the cinnamon? 

 

Oh no, the weather has taken a turn for the worst... time to go home!

Lily and the Snowman

It's not always easy to hang on to the Christmas spirit in between last-minute shopping and hosting holiday parties.

But "Lily and the Snowman" is here to bring you back down to Earth.

Every winter, a magical snowman puts on a show for a little girl. But over time, life pulls them apart. Will she remember to take the time for what she loved?

Lily and the Snowman is an adorable animation short film. A very cute and touching little story to celebrate the imagination, childhood and the magic of winter! It is very similar to "The Snowman," a 1982 animated film that was adapted from Raymond Briggs' book of the same name. Do you remember that book?

How fast can you climb the Matterhorn?

Here's a little bit of Swiss general knowledge to make you smile or watch in awe or both.

Swiss Mountaineer Dani Arnold breaks the record for the quickest ascent of the north face of the Matterhorn mountain in the Alps. The 1,100 meter-high climb usually takes mountain climbers between 8 and 10 hours to complete. Arnold, 31, reached the top in just 1 hour and 46 minutes, breaking the previous record by 10 minutes.

Guess he didn't have much time to enjoy the view until he got to the top?!?

Swiss Winter Wonderland

Maybe we should forget about time this season? Eventhough the calendar marks mid-March, the temperatures are still low and the Swiss Alps continue to resemble a lovely winter wonderland. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.



The land of watches makes you forget time very easily -- during holidays in the snow, on beautiful winter hiking trails with stunning Alpine panoramas, in comfy ski huts and wonderful wellness hotels. Welcome to winter wonderland: http://www.myswitzerland.com/winter

I'd rather be skiing

"Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to."
John Ed Pearce

Officially it is the children's skiing holiday but we call it the "Swiss holiday". We return religiously - no matter which part of the globe we live in - to spend a family holiday on the slopes of Switzerland.

We gobble chocolate, we devour cheese fondues and raclettes, we appreciate the Swiss neatness and engulfe in fresh mountain air. We spend 10 days curing our Swiss homesickness by eating our way through local culinary delicacies, shopping trips to the Coop and listening to Swiss German radio.

Nothing - absolutely nothing - beats standing on top of a snowy peak, overlooking the sundrenched Alps on a clear winter day just before you hit the pristine powder snow and hear it crunch below your skis. It is the only sound you hear .... until I start yodeling! What a liberating feeling.

We're off skiing....

"Skiing is a dance, and the mountain always leads. "

Author Unknown

I have followed my husband around the globe on his Interantional career path and am very happy to do so. I did set one - yes, only one - condition before we got married and flew off to Buenos Aires nearly 15 years ago. He had to promise me that ONCE a year I would be able to go "home" to Switzerland to ski. This has been our tradition ever since we met and I have the firm intention to carry on as long as my bones will carry me down the slopes. It is my moment of homesickness cure that allows my kids and me to connect with part of our roots. The children love the snow and can't wait to go skiing. Even my Neapolitan hubby has taken a penchant to the sport, although I won't deny that he prefers the après-ski experience!

All this to tell you that I'll be gone for a week while I hit the slopes in the Berner Oberland. Given the snow situation we are ecstatic that we will have fresh powder snow and hopefully lots of sunshine!

Buone vacanze a tutti!

Snow in Lugano makes headlines around the world

"Before you complain about the toe-numbing temperatures today, cast your eye a little further abroad than the light dusting of snow in your back garden."
Daily Mail Online

Photographs taken along the lakeside of Lugano have made their way half way around the world. Yes, Lugano is now world famous for cold and snowy weather. Kind of ironic for a part of the world that claims to be the sunshine state of Switzerland.

arabnews.com - Middle East - 31st Jan, 2012

In the U.S., France, England, UAE and Australia, numerous newspapers and Internet sites that have used a photograph, taken by Karl Mathis Keystone, to illustrate articles about the current wave of cold weather that is raging across Europe. Lugano has featured in Le Figaro, the BBC, the Daily Mail, of Arab News, the Seattle Post Intelligencer and in a host of other media.

theage.com.au - Australia - Feb 24th, 2012

The combination of snow and palm trees, common in our latitudes, has caught the imagination of international journalists and some have placed the photo just below catastrophic headlines such as "More than 60 deaths due to cold spell in Europe." For the record, the current temperatures in Ticino - although cold - will not make not the Guinness book of records and have caused no deaths: more likely some traffic inconvenience.

Daily Mail - UK - Feb 9th, 2012

Moonlight skiing in Airolo

"When it comes to skiing, there's a difference between what you think it's going to be like, what it's really like, and what you tell your friends it was like."
Author Unknown

Full Moon, fresh Snow and a Spirit of Adventure. Combine the three and you have the "Sciata & Racchettata al Chiar di Luna".

On Saturday, February 4, 2012, the town of Airolo-Pesciüm are organizing the yearly Moonlight skiing adventure. The meeting point is at 19:00 at the bottom of the cable car. You'll be able to hit the slopes until 21:00.

For some, snowshoes (racchetta da neve) may be a good alternative to skiing and an opportunity to walk the brand new trails for snowtrekking which just opened this Winter season 2011/12.

After skiing or "racchettata" the restaurant Pesciüm will be serving dinner. You'll be able choose between a good hot meal or a delicious fondue. After dinner, the cable car will bring you back to the valley.

Please bring a headlamp, especially if you plan to try the snowshoe adventure.

Venue: Airolo-Pesciüm (Funivie)
Date: February 4th, 2012
Time: 19:00
Prices:
pass + hot dish and a drink on tap: CHF 25.- (Reservations recommended)
pass + fondue: CHF 35.- (reservations required by Feb. 3)

Tel +41/91-873'80'40
E-mail: funivie@airolo.ch

The next dates for the Moonlight Ski & Racchettata are:
- Friday, March 9, 2012
- Friday, April 6, 2012

The Snowfairy

Throughout the afternoon I watched them there, 

Snow-fairies falling, falling from the sky, 

Whirling fantastic in the misty air, 

Contending fierce for space supremacy. 

And they flew down a mightier force at night, 

As though in heaven there was revolt and riot, 

And they, frail things had taken panic flight 

Down to the calm earth seeking peace and quiet. 

I went to bed and rose at early dawn 

To see them huddled together in a heap, 

Each merged into the other upon the lawn, 

Worn out by the sharp struggle, fast asleep. 

The sun shone brightly on them half the day, 

By night they stealthily had stol'n away. 

Claude McKay

St.Moritz Gourmet Festival 2012

"For a gourmet wine is not a drink but a condiment, provided that your host has chosen correctly."
Edouard De Pomaine, French author

Once again, from 30th January to 3rd February 2012, the Upper Engadine will become a Mecca for the international gourmet scene. Often copied but never equalled, for one week one culinary top event will follow another at the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival, and each of them will be a highlight on its own. This time you can look forward to personally meeting ten star-crowned European guest master chefs, who will delight you with their sensational cooking artistry! The special and unique attraction of our Gourmet Festival is the inspiring and considerate teamwork of the guest master chefs with the equally highly awarded excellent master chefs of the high-class festival partner hotels! But that is not all. In addition, delightful experiences for all the senses will be offered in four fascinating festival locations.

The Gourmet Festival programme summary contains full details and booking options! Enjoy making your choice!

Admittedly, we are talking total luxury BUT you can always cruise up to St.Moritz for the day, enjoy the snow and a hot chocolate overlooking the lake. If you do, send me a postcard, please! ;)

Waiting for the snow and the tourists to arrive in Switzerland

We are less than a week away from Christmas and still waiting for the snow to arrive. If we are lucky, however, we just might have a white Christmas. In the meantime, enjoy this video sponsored by the Swiss Tourism board.

Impressive Live image ticker of today's 43rd Engadiner Skimarathon

The Engadin cross-country ski marathon was the first marathon of this kind. It was organized in 1969 with an amazing 945 of skiers who lined up at the start line. Since then its success has grown to attracting participants from more than 35 nations every year.

It’s a 42km long marathon which leads beside a medieval castle, over ice-bound lakes, and through an entire forest. The whole landscape is absolutely astonishing. 12,000 competitors gather at the start, get whipped into a frenzy by music from Chariots of Fire, and take off Le-Mans-style across a couple of snow-covered lakes through the upper Engadine valley. It is incredibly well organized evidenced by the fact that competitors’ warm clothes get transported to the finish line. Also check out the photos of the beginning of the race: how to get 12'000 skiers in line?!?

The Engadin Ski Marathon is a real challenge, but also a chance to admire the wonders of nature in the Swiss mountains. See for yourself by clicking here to enter the Ski Marathons 2011 live image ticker.

An awsome skiing vacation in St.Moritz

My sweet, sweet Switzerland

Skiing on the Corviglia

Looking down the Engadine valley

View from the Corvatsch

Last descent of the season! 

Val Fex

The valley is one of the highest in Switzerland to be inhabited all year round.

Inhabitants in 2000: 101 

Hänsel & Gretel in the woods?

Spring thawing

Crasta Church in Val Fex

Typical Engadine house

Past times

"Sgraffito" is a typical Engadine form of art

produced by applying layers of plaster tinted in contrasting colors to a moistened surface